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Class Action

Question: What prevents every Cyclone fan (add all Kansas, Baylor, KSU fans if you like) that has ever donated money to the NCC and bought season football tickets during the tenure of the Big 12 from filing a class action against ESPN, the BCS, the Big 10, the PAC 10, Texas and the SEC?

My basis (lawyers can chime in) is that all the money I've (or anyone has) ever donated was to help field a Big 12 football team, that in theory is then given a chance to compete for the biggest prize in the land. (No need to argue the chances of that happening at ISU) In theory all of the money ever donated to that cause is rendered useless by named defendants for tearing down the fabric of AQ conferences and only rewarding traditionally successful programs and populous areas. In other words, my investment was for not.

There is a RICO claim here similar to the following (citing Wikipedia) but on a larger scale and with more teeth:
In 2002, the former minority owners of the Montreal Expos baseball team filed charges under the RICO Act against Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig and former Expos owner Jeffrey Loria, claiming that Selig and Loria deliberately conspired to devalue the team for personal benefit in preparation for a move.[14] If found liable, Major League Baseball could have been responsible for up to $300 million in punitive damages. The case lasted for two years, successfully stalling the Expos' move to Washington or contraction during that time. It was eventually sent to arbitration where the arbiters ruled in favor of Major League Baseball,[15] permitting the move to Washington to take place.

I'd like to see records supeoned for ESPN and the BCS as it relates to my hypothetical class action.

Re: Class Action

Originally Posted by kberyldial

Question: What prevents every Cyclone fan (add all Kansas, Baylor, KSU fans if you like) that has ever donated money to the NCC and bought season football tickets during the tenure of the Big 12 from filing a class action against ESPN, the BCS, the Big 10, the PAC 10, Texas and the SEC?

My basis (lawyers can chime in) is that all the money I've (or anyone has) ever donated was to help field a Big 12 football team, that in theory is then given a chance to compete for the biggest prize in the land. (No need to argue the chances of that happening at ISU) In theory all of the money ever donated to that cause is rendered useless by named defendants for tearing down the fabric of AQ conferences and only rewarding traditionally successful programs and populous areas. In other words, my investment was for not.

There is a RICO claim here similar to the following (citing Wikipedia) but on a larger scale and with more teeth:
In 2002, the former minority owners of the Montreal Expos baseball team filed charges under the RICO Act against Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig and former Expos owner Jeffrey Loria, claiming that Selig and Loria deliberately conspired to devalue the team for personal benefit in preparation for a move.[14] If found liable, Major League Baseball could have been responsible for up to $300 million in punitive damages. The case lasted for two years, successfully stalling the Expos' move to Washington or contraction during that time. It was eventually sent to arbitration where the arbiters ruled in favor of Major League Baseball,[15] permitting the move to Washington to take place.

I'd like to see records supeoned for ESPN and the BCS as it relates to my hypothetical class action.

Re: Class Action

A person would have to show how they have standing to sue, i.e. they have been injured as a result of A&M's actions. A fan would not be able to do this, but the president of the universities could sue, or maybe even a student because their education could be devalued or it could deprive the school of funding, but i don't believe a fan would have an actionable injury.

I think that the money you have paid to go to games was to watch a team that you are a fan of and you got to do that when you had the tickets. Your purchasing tickets in past years is not predicated on them being in the big 12 in the future, I think it would be pretty hard to show that. I mean who thinks when they buy tickets, "im only buying these so that in the future, ISU will be part of the big 12"

"But you know that old thing, live fast, die young? Not my way. Live fast, sure, live too bloody fast sometimes, but die young? Die old. That's the way- not orthodox, I don't live by "the rules" you know." - David Brent

Re: Class Action

Originally Posted by rholtgraves

I mean who thinks when they buy tickets, "im only buying these so that in the future, ISU will be part of the big 12"

I'm spending money to be able to see Iowa State compete at the level that they do. The Big 12 just so happens to be the platform. If we are squeezed out of that for the reasons I mentioned previously then I, my investment and the University is harmed.

Re: Class Action

Originally Posted by kberyldial

I'm spending money to be able to see Iowa State compete at the level that they do. The Big 12 just so happens to be the platform. If we are squeezed out of that for the reasons I mentioned previously then I, my investment and the University is harmed.

So when/if Iowa State isn't competing at the level you would like you are free to stop donating money. I move to strike this from the record. OBJECTION YOUR HONOR! Overruled. Sorry, I tried, let's let this thread die a painful death now.

Re: Class Action

Originally Posted by 3TrueFans

So when/if Iowa State isn't competing at the level you would like you are free to stop donating money.

By competing at the level I'd like I mean a conference and opponents the caliber of the Big 12. I've donated quite a bit of money actually and I intend to keep doing so. I'm not donating the amount of money I do now if we are playing Wyoming. There are power conferences being formed, if only for football, and we are in trouble.

Baylor's threat of legal action is exactly what I'm talking about. College football is controlled by ESPN and they will dictate who plays on TV, for how much and who then gets to compete for the national title. We are not in that conversation.

Re: Class Action

Originally Posted by kberyldial

I'm spending money to be able to see Iowa State compete at the level that they do. The Big 12 just so happens to be the platform. If we are squeezed out of that for the reasons I mentioned previously then I, my investment and the University is harmed.

Yeah, you paid for something and you got it. You don't have an investment in the university because you buy season tickets. You have a tickets to games. You don't get a say in what goes on in the university because you buy tickets, or in other words you don't have a legally protected interest in the university. When you buy a ticket all you have is legally protected interest in the ticket. If the ticket is stolen, or if the university doesn't honor the ticket then you have legal recourse but buying a ticket does not give you a legal protected interset in the University.

"But you know that old thing, live fast, die young? Not my way. Live fast, sure, live too bloody fast sometimes, but die young? Die old. That's the way- not orthodox, I don't live by "the rules" you know." - David Brent

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